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Ticket to ride – Tesla donation lets young patients travel in style

Young patients gearing up for surgery at Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children can now arrive in style, thanks to a generous donation of a brand new mini Tesla, which the children can drive right up to the doors of the operating department.

The donation, which came , courtesy of the Tesla Owners Club UK, joins a fleet of mini cars that help to distract children as they approach surgery.

Joint Medical Director and Consultant Paediatrician, Dr Ruth Charlton, said: “I am so pleased to see that we have received this fantastic gift from the Tesla Owners Club, and would like to thank everyone involved in this generous donation. Spending time in hospital can be a daunting time for anyone, especially for children, so equipment like this can really make a child’s stay with us more enjoyable.

“We place a big emphasis on the importance of play in our hospitals, and we have a team of play specialist who do an exceptional job of keeping the children in our paediatric departments entertained (and subsequently, distracted from their illnesses).

“It’s wonderful to see the smile on the children’s faces when they get to drive themselves up to theatre – it helps to make the whole procedure have a less clinical feel, adding a bit of fun to the day and acting as a welcome distraction from what can be quite a nerve racking experience. On behalf of our young patients, I would like to thank the Tesla Owners Club once again for their generosity. ”

The mini-Tesla is designed to replicate a full size Tesla and can take children up to eight years of age, it has a top speed of 6mph (although this will be limited to 2mph in our hospital). The car was delivered to the hospital by Helen and Gareth Rees from the club, who drove all the way down from Northampton to deliver it.